Seat signal



Sept. 22, 1925.-

1,554,469 w. THOMSON S EAT S I GNAL Filed A5111 17. 1922 awoontoz ii/(12mm M am,

Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

QWEY ma aerial exe-..

EAT SIGNAP:

Application filed April -17,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be "it known that I, VoLNnY NVAYNE THoMsoN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing atElPa'so, in the countyof El. Paso and State of Texas, have invented'cer- *tain new and useful ImprovementsinHSeatI Signals', of which the followingis a 'specification.

available seats.

of the usher going f'romthe frontftothe:

to provide a signaling device of the charrear of the theatre each-time there are avail able seats to indicate the number of the seats to the patron. i

A, still further object of the; invention is to provide a' signaling device of the above character which when placed on or near the floor will not-in anyway disturbthe seated patrons when operated.

A yet further object :of the invention is acter outlined above that is simple in con: struction,'strong and durable and which it is'beheved may be man'ufactured'at a low cost. i

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent during the continuance of the following descrip tion. V In the drawings 2-- V Figure 1 is a view in perspective showingmy invention as in its preferred embodiment. i T l Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the body of the signaling device showing and partly in crosssec tion.

Figure 3 1s a vlew'in' vert1ca-lcross-sect1on of the upper end of the handle or gripping portion. I i

In describing my invention more in detail; 10 designates the box type body portion of the signaling device thatis preferably 'constructed of metal but which may be made of any other suitable or desirable material. If made of metal it may be coated with 1922.; Serial Np. 553,398. I

blackienamelor painted in any other suitable or 'd'esirablecolor or style. The body "por-" tion 10'J'is' normally open on the front side and carries, at tlie'bottoin,"a battery com'f partment 11 t whichjis also normally 'open at it's frontjl Atzits endsj the body portion car ries battery compartments 12 and 13 t'o.

which access may behad" tlirough t-he medium of =hinged*-d oors 'or covers' 14; and 15 m: ranged'attheir upper ends: 1

Bene ath the battery compartment 11 the so'that itfniay' be allowed stand unsup' ported'o'n the floor, ifsuchis'desired.

body ,provided withseats or supports 16 Suitable "openings '17in' the""'dividing passed therethru.

members between the compartments .12

13"and the compartment 11 are provided so] 10 is provided with a door In'1fember'f18'that';

upper part 20 to disclose the interior'o'fthej.

member 22 may be provided so as to" secure the door member 111' a clofsed pos tion As will: be notedfupon reference to Figures 1 and 2 the interior of the body member is hingedly mounted to 's'wi'ng 'open and closed as at- 19 -a'1'1d' which: has 'trar'is'parent 1 l0'i's divided into three compartmentsbymeans of spacedf partition's'23*and 24A, and" 25nd 26. -The partitions23and 24 are spaced apart to'perrni't electrical conductors to pass between as'will' be'po'inted out here-'' inaftefr; and the partitions-25 'and 26 are;

:also spaced apart for a like resort; The;

rear walls of the compartments are prof" vided with numerals-"fsuch asfindicated in thez'prese'nt embodiment; 'viz,-'1, 2- and 3.

' However, it is pointedfoutythat; any number of compartments maybe provided and that the numerals may be changed or rearranged if occasion requires. the handle'or carrier partly broken away ii The bottom of each an electric bulb; 28. I Compa rtmer'ltsov 12, i 13 and 11 are equipped with electric batteries 29,,30 and 31 ,respectivelyL-The light bulb compartment is equipped with a reflector '27 which carries 28 in th'e first compartme t is connected by an Q electrical conductor 32 with-eneend of wardly between the partitions 23 and t 2 4 to a suitable connection that'will be hereinafter described.

Battery 31 has connection as at 35 with the second light bulb and the bulb hasa further connection with an electric wire 36 that is also extended upwardly between the partitions 2.3 and 24. :Battery 30 also connectszas at 37, with the third bulb and ,is in turn connected also to an electric wire 38. The third bulb is connected to-a wire 39 which is extended upwardly between the partitions 25 and 26 and one end of the battery 31 also has an electric wire 40 extending upwardly between the said partitions.

At the top, the body member 10 carries a hollow handle or carrying member 41. At its upper end the handle or carrying member 41 is formed into a hand grip 42 that is partment being provided with numeral 3.

Because of the convenient location of the buttons 43, 44 and 45 the operator may touch one or all of them at the same time so as to illuminate certain of the compartments.

In operation the operator grips the portion 42 of the handle 41 and the body member 10 is held near or on the floor somewhere in the front part of the theatre. When seats are available the operator simply touches one of the buttons 43, 44 or 45 to indicate the numberof seats and the patrons at the rear of the theatre will be able to use the signal and thereby eliminate the necessity of the usher returning to the back of thetheatre.

From the foregoing it is believed that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily understoodand therefore further detailed description is deemed unnecessary. I

What is claimed is V 7 1. A seat signal comprising a horizontally elongated casing, elements carried by said casing by means of which the device will retain an upright. position when placed upon a floor, said casing divided into aplurality of horizontally disposed compartments havmg numerlcal lndicating means, battery compartments beneath said lndioatlng compartments and at eachrend of the casing, bat

teries therein,zantelectric light bulb mounted in the flooro'fieach indicating compartment, a hollow handle member extending upward- Ely vertically from the casing and having communication with the interior thereof,

conductors from said bulbs and batteries'extendingupwardly through said hollow handle, the upper end of said handle member formed into a hollow loop hand grip to house said conductors, circuit closers mounted on said hand grip and controlling said conductors housed in the handle member, whereby the numerical indicating means may be op erated by the same hand-that carries the device.

2. A signaling device comprising, a horizontally elongated signal box a plurality of horizontally arranged illuminating compartments presenting indicating meansproperly readable when said box assumes a horizontal position upon the floor, ahandle 7 carried by and extending upwardly i n verti' cal relation to said box, said handle being hollow throughout its entire length, and terminating at its upper end in a loopshaped hand grip, and switch means to illuminate the interior of said signal box mounted on said hand grip whereby said box may be carried and said illuminating means operated by the same hand of the operator. 1

3. A seat signal comprising a horizontally elongated casing, elements carried by said casing by means of which the device will retain an upright position placed upon a floor, said casing, divided into a plurality of horizontally disposed illuminating compartments provided with numerical indicat ing means, a battery compartment underlying said compartments, and a vertical bat.

tery compartment at the opposite ends of.

said casing, batteries in said battery compartments, the illuminating compartments spaced from each other and defining conductor passages, light bulbs mounted in said illuminating compartments, a hollow handle member projecting vertically upward from the top of'said casing and communicating with the interior of the same, said handle member terminating at'its upper end in a loop-shaped hand grip, conductors leading from said batteriesand lightbulbs through the handle member and into the hand grip portion, and circuit closing means mounted on said hand'grip. portion for the purposesspecified.

In testimony'whereof I affix my signature. 1

VOLNEY WAYNE THoMsoN. 

